R.W.D. 14

Under the designation R.W.D.12 a design study for a reconnaissance/observation aircraft derived from the R.W.D.8 was drawn up to meet an official request. However, this failed to gain solid interest and led to a new specification which became the subject of a design contest. The R.W.D. design team proposed a development of the R.W.D.12 powered by an engine of almost double the power, gaining a contract for three R.W.D.14 prototypes, one for static testing. The first, powered by a 313kW Pratt & Whitney Wasp Junior engine, was flown in 1935 but performance fell below estimates and the improved R.W.D.14a that followed had a P.Z.L.G.1620A Mors radial engine of similar power. Flown in 1936, the aircraft was lost during the same year as a result of structural failure of the tail unit, and this.was also the fate of a second R.W.D.14a when tested with a modified tail unit in 1937. Final prototype built by D.W.L. was the R.W.D.14b with further revisions to the tail unit and the more powerful P.Z.L. G.1620B Mors engine; after satisfactory completion of tests the design was sold to the Polish government, which contracted with the Polish L.W.S. company to build 65 generally similar aircraft under the designation R.W.D.14b Czapla (heron). The type equipped observation squadrons Nos 13, 23, 33, 53 and 63 at the outbreak of war, but the type's speed was such that the squadrons suffered severe losses from ground fire, mostly Polish, and only about 10 escaped to Romania in the closing days of Polish resistance.

3-View

A three-view drawing (744 x 1018)